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Crater Cat

Crater Cat is a pencil drawing of a fluffy kitten in a spacesuit. The kitten is emerging from a crater. Maybe it’s the moon. Maybe it’s some other planet. Either way the crater was probably a fun place to explore.

I keep a library on my computer of cat photos that I’ve found on the internet and elsewhere. I use them as pose references sometimes when drawing cats. I did that with Crater Cat. The kitten’s markings were likewise inspired by reference photos. In this case I used features from several different cat photos to make a cute tabby kitten. At least I think the kitten is cute. Hopefully other people will as well.

Sometimes I like to draw in black and white. Without color, everything is about form and shading. Pencil drawing is good practice to learn how to use values. It’s important to balance light and dark areas so that separate items don’t lose definition and blend together.

I kept the background simple in Crater Cat to keep the focus on the kitten. There is just a hint of detail on the ground beyond the crater. The crater itself is has just enough detail to imply rugged terrain. I did splurge a little under the kitten’s paws. A bit of crumbly dirt grounds the kitten in the scene. The kitten is interacting with the environment.

The spacesuit design is also simple. The helmet is just a clear bubble. The collar is metallic. The suit itself is white and wrinkly. The kitten’s face is the focal point. Having the face off center adds interest.

To me the Crater Cat kitten seems to be saying, “That was fun. What’s next?” Maybe the kitten will go on to explore more craters on this new and fascinating world.

The original drawing is done in graphite pencils on 2-ply Bristol vellum.